Evolution
'' |image= |series= |production=40273-150 |producer(s)= |story=Michael Piller Michael I. Wagner (as Michael Wagner) |script=Michael Piller |director=Winrich Kolbe |imdbref=tt0708710 |guests=Ken Jenkins as Paul Stubbs, Whoopi Goldberg as Guinan, Mary McCusker as Nurse, Randal Patrick as Crewman #1, Majel Barrett as Computer Voice (uncredited) |previous_production=The Ensigns of Command |next_production=The Survivors |episode=TNG C01 |airdate=23 September 1989 |previous_release=Shades of Gray |next_release=The Ensigns of Command |story_date(s)=Stardate 43125.8 |previous_story=Shades of Gray |next_story= The Ensigns of Command The Survivors }} =Summary= The Enterprise approaches the Kavis Alpha binary star system to perform astrophysics research under the guidance of Dr. Paul Stubbs, analyzing the decay of neutronium as a result of a stellar explosion that occurs every 196 years and is due to occur in the next few hours. Stubbs plans to launch a probe, dubbed the Egg, to gather the data, a result of a lifetime's development. Meanwhile, Chief Medical Officer Dr. Crusher has returned to her duties on the Enterprise after a stint at Starfleet Medical and is warmly welcomed by her son, Acting Ensign Wesley Crusher. As the expected time of the stellar explosion nears, the ship malfunctions in odd ways, and the issue is traced to the computer core. Wesley, who had been working on a project involving microscopic nanites, realizes that he may have inadvertently let two nanites from his experiments loose. The nanites were programmed to find ways to work together and evolve. A scan of the computer core reveals that the nanites have determined a way of replicating themselves and have taken up residence in the computer core. With the computer controls unreliable, the crew and Dr. Stubbs attempt to see if they can remove the nanites from the core. However, Dr. Stubbs shoots the core with a burst of gamma radiation, destroying a large number of the nanites. They retaliate by flooding the bridge with nitrogen dioxide, which the crew overrides. Dr. Stubbs is confined to quarters, but the nanites attempt further revenge by shocking him with electricity. Captain Picard prepares to flood the computer core with gamma radiation to remove the nanites completely, but the android Second Officer Commander Data establishes communication with the nanites and allow them to use his body to speak with Picard. Picard realizes that the nanites are self-aware and conscious and took Dr. Stubbs' actions as hostile, but they want peace. Picard negotiates a deal to send the nanites to Kavis Alpha IV, designating it as their homeworld. The nanites agree and repair the damage to the computer core before they leave it. Dr. Stubbs launches his probe on time and collects numerous volumes of data. Ensign Crusher, who feels responsible for the incident, is counseled by his mother, both of them realizing he is growing up. =Errors and Explanations= Plot Oversights # The surviving nanites helping Stubbs with his experiment, despite him earlier killing thousands of nanites earlier. This could have been part of the relocation agreement insigated at the end of the episode. # Enterprise using reverse impulse engines to halt it's progress towards the matter stream between the stars, even though this would push the ship closer, due to it facing away at the time. Maybe the reverse thrust would be intended to turn the ship around. Internet Movie Database Revealing mistakes # In the opening shot Enterprise is in a geosynchronous orbit around a giant red star and faces a smaller neutron star. Later, Riker tells Shuttle Bay 2 to prepare to launch Dr. Stubbs' probe. As the shuttle bay doors open, the scene shows the giant red star and the smaller star in the distance. But Shuttle bay 2 is on the back side of the ship. To see this view, Enterprise would have to turn 180 degrees from the previous shot. The position of Enterprise was probably adjusted during final preparations for the experiment.'IMDB entry tt0708710 Nit Central # ''Keith Alan Morgan (Kmorgan) on Tuesday, July 10, 2001 - 1:53 am: Stubbs calls the Neutron star the interstellar counterpart to Old Faithful. The problem is that Old Faithful has been getting less and less faithful. I believe an earthquake affected it's old schedule and the last I heard it was becoming less faithful. '''Federation science may have corrected the problem. # Data says, that "There has not been a system wide technological failure on a starship for 79 years." What about the Iconian computer virus in Contagion, the year before? (Or did the alien program erase the events of that episode from Data's mind?) That was not truly system wide, as some equipment on the three ships affected - such as life support and the transporters - still operated normally. =Sources= Category:Episodes Category:The Next Generation